Beyond The Superficial
by cullenbabe
Summary: Bella firmly decides to go under the knife to correct her perceived "homeliness". She wants no other than the best plastic surgeon and that turns out to be Dr. Edward Cullen. Will he help her or romance her out of it?


A/N: New story, same disclaimer. Twilight and its characters are not mine. Stephenie Meyer as everybody knows, owns them all.

Hi! Hi! So, I guess almost everyone has watched New Moon by now. OMG! Taylor blew me away! I liked him as Shark Boy but now I realize, the guy's seriously talented. He has me convinced that he's Jacob.

So, anyway this is my newest fic. In this story, Bella has serious issues with her physical appearance. In advance, I would like to say that I do not recommend/ advise people to have plastic surgery. If a person feels it's something he/she needs to improve him-/herself, I have no beef with that. Read if you like and let me know after what you think.

* * *

For the umpteenth time in all of my 24 years, I stared at my image in front of the antique, tri-fold dressing mirror in my room. And I'm not happy. _Oh, where's a magical mirror when you need one? _I grimaced at the offending image in front of me. Can't you lie to me, dear mirror on the wall, even for a single day? Totally annoyed, I stuck out a tongue at myself.

I slowly ran my fingers through my limp, blah-brown hair. My plain, brown eyes sadly surveyed the seemingly clashing features that bounced back at me. Pictures popped up in my mind in quick progression: Renee, my mother, a vivacious and attractive woman with dirty blonde hair, a cute, perfectly-proportioned nose and arresting smile; Charlie, with hair the exact same shade of brown as mine, eyes so warm like chocolates that glint with mischief from time to time. They are honest-to-goodness good-looking people. I mean, really! So, why in heavens name did genetics choose to manifest the not-so-desirable, recessive traits in their DNAs and handed them down to me? Apparently, before having me they didn't undergo genetic counseling to determine any flaws in the physical appearance of their child so here I am, walking on this frickin' face of the earth, totally disgusted with the way I look.

Well, okay. I'm no female version of the Hunchback of Notre Dame nor a Cyrano the Bergerac. Neither do I look like that poor girl in Paris Hilton's movie "The Hottie and the Nottie". No, not even close. But I'm definitely not a "hottie". No, siree!

I don't want to go into full detail but my travails with my appearance began when I was in middle school. My eyebrows were a bit on the bushy side, my eyes as I said earlier are plain, brown. I wore thick glasses that looked more like magnifying glasses on frames that I could not live without but absolutely did not help improve my looks _at all_. Thankfully, my mother took pity on me and got me contact lenses so at least there was a slight improvement in that area. My nose was slightly similar to Renee's but there was a pronounced bulge at the tip that threw off the balance of my facial features. My mouth, my mom says was beautiful but I squinted at the mirror and I noticed it's too full on the lower lip. Of course she'd say it's beautiful. She's my mother after all. Haha. Right. I puckered up and made noisy kissing noises.

Kissing. That brings to mind that at 24 I rarely get kissed. I mean, SERIOUSLY KISSED -- the heavy-breathing, panting, moaning, groaning, sweaty, tongue-duelling kind of kiss. Oh, and I long to have that again. I want it and I want it now.

A fleeting thought brought me to pause. No, let me correct myself. I have been kissed that way -- when I was 16. A slow, sweet smile formed in my lips. How can a girl ever forget a kiss like that?

My sophomore year, the Cullens moved to our quiet town of Forks, Washington. Dr. Carlisle Cullen, a gorgeous blond man headed the surgical unit of the hospital in Port Angeles. Esme, Dr. Cullen's wife, (another stunner) set up her interior design firm also in Port Angeles. Her office, people say was most impressive. Her work rivaled the best designers even in the Seattle area. Their youngest daughter, Alice Cullen, became my newest friend. She approached me on her first day in school and we hit it off immediately. Both of us agreed instantly that we'd be the best of friends. Emmett, her eldest brother lived in California with her other brother, Edward. Both studied in UCLA -- Emmett, for architecture and Edward for medicine.

The summer before our junior year, Alice invited me to spend a weekend at their beach house in Malibu. I was a normal teenager and would not dream of giving up sun-worshipping in warm, toasty California. Renee and Charlie gave their permission without any delay. And so, before I knew it, Alice, Emmett (acting as ever-protective big brother), and I hopped our asses on a plane and landed at LAX. I can't forget how my body vibrated from my barely-contained excitement.

The Cullens' beachfront house on Malibu was A-MA-ZING!!! A small-town girl like me was dumbstruck at the exotic beauty of the sun, surf and the obviously luxurious property of my friend's family. The house itself had 3 floors. As Alice excitedly ushered me into the spacious living room, my eyes were as wide as saucers as they swept the area, affluence screaming from every corner and contemporary piece of furniture in the room. The living room space was surrounded by glass overlooking the Pacific. The view was totally breathtaking. I was given an intensive tour. I learned that the property had 5 huge bedrooms (1 masters bedroom, 3 individual rooms for the Cullen siblings and 1 guest room) -- all equipped with state-of-the-art entertainment system, plush furniture and matching expensive-looking beddings (felt expensive, too!); there was a sauna room and a Jacuzzi tub; an outdoor barbecue; an outdoor shower for when one returns from the beach. In short, it was heaven.

Alice and I didn't waste any time changing into our bikinis. Alice was small and petite. Her frame was slender and she fit perfectly into her two-piece bikini. I did as well. Although my breasts were fuller, my hips were rounder than hers. I was more curvaceous while Alice was more lean.

As Alice and I occupied a chaise lounge on the deck, Emmett peeked his dark head out from the sliding glass doors and told us he's driving by the grocery to stock up. "I can't let Bella starve to death here in Cali", he said. And with a quick wave and a curt "Laters!", Emmett left.

"Bella, let's go for a swim!" Alice said as she stood up and adjusted the cups of her bikini top.

"Let's go! Oh, gosh! Let me go inside and get the sunblock. We left it on your bed earlier". She nodded and sat back on the chaise again.

I jogged back towards the deck, my boobs bouncing up and down as I hurried back. Alice didn't like waiting. My eyes flew up when I saw a still figure right beside the posh, cream sofa in the living room. My hand flew to my mouth but it was too late. I screamed with all my might.

The figure turned out to be a man. He raised and waved both his hands as if to say "No, don't scream!"

"What the … Bella!" Alice ran back in, her eyes wide with panic. She followed the direction where my eyes were trained. She burst in hysterical laughter. "Bella! Don't be scared! That's just Edward, my brother" she laughed and snorted in an unladylike fashion.

Said brother stood straight. He scowled, totally displeased with my reaction. Well, to be fair he didn't deserve it. There was nothing scary about him. The guy was drop-dead gorgeous! His tousled bronze hair had gold and red highlights, his piercing green eyes seemed irritated but there was a slight amusement that began to overcome the annoyance. His jaw was the squarest and sharpest I've ever seen in my life! His nose was narrow and straight. His lips seemed soft and sensual. He was tall, but not towering like Emmett. His body was toned and perfectly proportioned. I stared at him unabashedly and he stared back. Suddenly, I became self-conscious. Definitely, I loved what I saw but what did he feel about how I look? I swallowed hard and painfully tore my eyes away from the perfect vision before me. Sadly, I knew the answer to that question. My heart thudded loudly in my ribcage but I ignored it. I can never have him. He's much too handsome. He'll never notice me.

"Wow! I certainly never had that reaction from a woman before," Edward said, his smile turning up one corner of his mouth into a beautifully crooked grin. My eyes were again transfixed. I couldn't look away. Alice laughed with a tinkling, melodic sound and rushed to give him a tight hug.

"Bella, this is my brother, Edward. Edward, my bestest friend, Bella!" Alice announced with much gusto, pushing her brother towards me with much effort because of the weight and height difference between them.

"Really, Alice. Bestest? What are you? In first grade?" he chuckled.

I continued to stare shyly at him. He extended his hand out to me. As soon as his warm hands covered mine, a jolt of current ran up my arm and shocked every nerve in my body. It was literally shocking and unexpected! My eyes widened at the occurrence and I saw that his face mirrored my surprised reaction. Did he feel it, too?

My flustered feelings persisted throughout the day. Electricity seemed to sizzle around us when we were close to each other. Our eyes would meet and sparks seemed to fly between us. It was unnerving and exciting at the same time. I've never experienced something like this before!

That day, Edward joked with us, ate and swam in the beach with us and taught me how to use his bodyboard. Well, at least he tried to. He learned about my severe inability in coordination the hard way. I took pity on the poor guy and talked him into giving up on teaching me how to do it. And besides, if he continued to stay too close to me I fear I would spontaneously combust right there and then under the perfect Malibu sun.

That night, Alice begged to sleep early because of another migraine attack. Edward put his arm around his baby sister as he guided her to her bedroom. My heart almost melted when I learned that when Alice was little and when Esme wasn't around to do it, Edward would tuck her in and tell her bedtime stories. I thought that was so sweet of him.

I looked up at the serene California sky. Alice was so lucky to have loving and protective brothers such as Emmett and Edward. I never had siblings so to be cared for that way was something I yearned for.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Edward's deep and smooth voice cut into my musing. I frowned. I thought he'd go straight to bed after tucking Alice in. Why would he go back out here?

I cocked my head to one side. "I thought you were going to bed."

"Oh! No. But… if you want me to leave…" he frowned as well. I shook my head vigorously and gave him a timid smile.

I motioned for him to stand beside me on the deck, overlooking the beach. We both stared up at the stars and the clear sky. The relaxing sound of the waves crashing gently to the shore filled the night air. The breeze smelled slightly of salt and sea but still pleasant nonetheless.

Edward started a conversation. He asked me anything and everything that came to his mind and I answered, no holds barred. I talked. He talked. I asked. He answered. He asked. I answered. That night I realized that we bared our souls to each other. We connected.

I was in the middle of a story about the time I fell of a tricycle and broke my arm when I was nine years old. We both laughed hysterically at that because really, who else can fall of a small vehicle with three wheels and break a bone in the process? I threw my head back so far that again my lack of balance tipped my body backwards and I fell right into Edward's strong, warm arms. I muttered a quick "Thank you" and tried to stand on my own two feet again. I held his arms as I tried to find my balance. I looked up into his now dark eyes. We were so close I felt his sweet, warm breath fanning my face. I closed my eyes, totally overwhelmed by the ecstasy his nearness brought me. Suddenly, his soft, moist lips covered mine, tentatively at first and became more urgent, deep and demanding. His tongue came out to taste and then fiercely, hungrily sought my own. His hands caressed my back, up my shoulder and down to urgently knead my behind covered by my thin white shorts. His other hand brushed the sides of my breast, moved up and forward until it massaged the fullness that pushed through the confines of my bra and thin tank top. Both hands met behind me as he laid his palms flat on my butt and pulled me hard towards the strong evidence of his arousal. The fire raced in my veins as a reaction to his ministrations. I heard him groan as I let out a soft moan. Oh, dear heavens! Want and desire blazed through my body like never before. I felt feverish. I felt out of control. I felt … beautiful.

Our eyes suddenly flew open as the front door opened. We jumped back nervously, turned our backs to each other as we surreptitiously licked our moistened mouths and smoothed down our somewhat tousled hair.

I thought I heard him softly curse his brother who came in looking all jolly, his arms full of grocery bags that were supposed to arrive hours earlier. After that, Edward was all formal as if the earthshaking kiss did not happen between us.

But really, who can blame him? I was plain, simple ole me and he's Edward frickin' "Greek god" Cullen! It's a miracle he even kissed you, girl!

And so there. Eight years passed. Not a word from Edward since then.

Life went on for me. I graduated from high school.. And then college. I work now as a pre-school teacher (and I absolutely love it).

I still feel greatly discontented with my appearance. This brings me to the now. Enough with the whining. It's time to take action.

Yes. I'm ready to go under the knife.

----------

A/N: Hello y'all! I know I've been bad and haven't updated on my other fics but seriously, the reviews for those stories weren't overwhelming. And well, I discovered I'm a review whore so I'd rather not continue those stories lest the readers be bored to tears. So, yeah. I'm testing the responses and then decide if I'll continue with the stories or not. Let me know if you love this or hate this. Review. Comment. It's up to you.


End file.
